Hinged pipe connectors



Nov. 14, 1967 w. L. CANNING HINGED PIPE CONNECTORS Filed Jun 17, 1966 F'IG.2 44\ //vv5/v TOR WA; 76/? A. C/I/WV/A G A TTORNEV United States Patent 3,352,573 HINGED PIPE CONNECTORS Walter L. Canning, Birmingham, Mich, assignor to Alex F. Walker & Associates, Inc., Royal Oak, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 17, 1966, Ser. No. 558,366 6 Claims. (Cl. 2852) This invention relates to hinged pipe connectors and in particular to an automatically severable vibration resistant hinged connector for truck diesel engine exhaust stacks.

It has been found advantageous, necessary, and desirable to mount the exhaust pipes and mufflers vertically on diesel engines so that the smoke, fumes, and oil residues are directed upwardly. This mixes the impurities of the exhaust stream with cleaner air at a higher more remote level, directs it away from the vehicles behind the truck, and attempts to direct it away from the truck body. The higher the stack rises above the truck cab and body the better are the beneficial results.

However there is a limit to how high a pipe exhaust stack may rise above the truck cab due to clearance limitations under bridges, garage door heights, and factory and Ware house door heights. Thus the fixed stacks have been kept lower than desirable for handling exhaust streams. Since diesel engine exhaust is highly objectionable, the need for proper handling is very acute. For example, the diesel engine exhaust residues on the truck cab and body build up rapidly and are extremely difficult to remove. It is understood that the present cost of cleaning a semi-trailer is about fifty-five dollars. This is certainly exemplary of the damage resulting from venting the exhaust too close to the ground and the benefits resulting from venting the exhaust as high as possible above the ground.

With the foregoing in View, it is the primary object of the invention to provide a hinged pipe connectorfor diesel engine exhaust pipes so that the stack may be elevated high above the truck cab and body for highway use and so that the stack may be lowered to a point adjacent the top of the cab or body for moving under low bridges and through doors of buildings.

An object of the invention is to provide a vibration resistant hinged connector for exhaust stacks so that the extended height of the stack is durably supported under the violent vibration conditions of a heavy highway truck under high speed travel conditions.

An object of the invention is to provide a light but strong hinged connector to support the heavy weight of the extended stack without whipping and shaking due to wind, road, and motor vibration.

An object of the invention is to provide a hinge with resilient bushings to absorb vibration and to prevent rattling.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatically severable hinge connection having the hinge portion at the rear of the connection and a severable clamping bolt at the front of the connector so that in the event of striking an obstruction, the clamping bolt severs and releases and the hinge is free to permit the top pipe to swing on the connector rearwardly and drop out of engaging position with the obstruction.

An object of the invention is to provide a hinge connector which has side flanges below the severable hinge juncture of the stack connected to the supporting bottom pipe and side flanges extending above the severable juncture and connected to the extending top pipe with the flanges having triangulated bolt attaching points to provide added structural strength to the assembly thereby supporting the hinge connector more strongly on the bottom pipe and supporting the extending top pipe more strongly.

An object of the invention is to provide a compressed gasket between the top and bottom portions of the hinge connector to seal at the connection against the escape of exhaust gas.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description of the novel hinge connector disclosed and described to illustrate the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a truck equipped with the novel hinge connector.

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of the hinged connector shown in FIG. 1 taken on the line 2-2 thereof.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the hinged connector as seen in FIG. 2 taken on the line 33 thereof with the top and bottom pipes broken away and showing the swung down position of the top pipe in dotted lines; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the hinged connector as seen in FIG. 2 taken on the line 4-4 thereof showing the top and bottom pipes broken away.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the hinged connector or 10 disclosed therein to illustrate the invention comprises a top portion 11 and a bottom portion 12 connected by a hinge portion 14. Each portion 11 and 12 has a flat plate portion 15, paired triangular outer side flanges 16 and 17, a central aperture 18, and an annular flange 19 surrounding the aperture 18. The side flange 16 and 17 have bolt holes 20 and 21 respectively. The annular flange 19 has bolt holes 22 and 23. Each plate 15 has paired spaced and staggered hinge arms 24 and 25 which are formed in annular loops. A resilient bushing 26 having an axial aperture is pressed in the loops of the ams 24 and 25. A bolt '27 lies in the apertures of the bushings 26 pivotally interconnecting the top and bottom portions 11 and 12. A nut 28 is threaded on the bolt 27. At the end of one plate 15 opposite the arms 24 and 25, such as on the top portion 11, a notch 29 is lanced out and a mating tongue 30 upset in the other plate 15 to lie in the notch 29 as a key. Each plate 15 has a bolt hole adjacent the notch 29 and tongue 30. A bolt 31 lies in these holes and a nut 32 holds the top portion 11 and bottom portion 12 together with the tongue 30 and notch 29 engaged. The bolt 31 and/or nut 32 are frangible. A gasket 33 lies between the plates 15 and seals off the space therebetween.

It can now be seen that the top portion 11 and the bottom portion 12 are identical except for the tongue 30 and notch 29. Thus they are made with the same tools and dies. It will also be noted that when the like portions are inverted and connected, that the staggered arm loops 24 and 25 of each portion interfit as hinge elements.

The connector 10 is mounted on the bottom pipe 40 with hinge portion 14 toward the rear of the truck. The bottom pipe 40 is then drilled with bolt holes at the bolt holes 2023 of the bottom portion 12. The bolts 41 and nuts 42 are then secured in the bolt holes 22 and 23 of the annular flange 19. The bolts 43 and nuts 44 are then secured in the bolt holes 20 and 21 of the triangular flanges 16 and 17. A spacer 45 is positioned between the bottom pipe 40 and the side flanges 16 and 17. This mounts and secures the hinged connector 10 on the bottom pipe 40. The top pipe 46 is similarly connected to the top portion 11. One of the pipes 40 or 46, such as the top pipe 46, may have a bell portion 47 fitting over the other pipe.

The side flanges 16 and 17 and bolts 43 are triangulated relative to the annular flange 19 and bolts 41 so that the top pipe 46 is strongly supported at the connector 10 and the connector 10 and top pipe 46 are strongly supever, upon the top pipe accidentlyhitting an obstruction,

this bolt breaks and the hinge connector is free to open to the dotted line position of FIG. 3 as indicated by the arrow A. The bolt 31 and nut 32 are easily. removed and the top pipe swung to the down position indicated by the dotted lines of FIG. 3. Thus the top pipe may be easily lowered at low bridge and door obstructions and easily raised for road travel.

While only a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, detail, and arrangement of the various elements of the invention Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hinged connector for truck exhaust pipe stacks for lowerably erecting a top pipe above a bottom pipe so as to extend the stack above the truck body for road travel and to lower the stack for moving under low obstructions comprising,

a bottom portion connectable to a bottom pipe,

a top portion connectable to a top pipe,

a hinge portion between said top and bottom portions,

and

securing means normally holding said top and bottom portions closed relative to one another,

each said top and bottom portion including a plate having an aperture, an annular flange surrounding said aperture, paired side flanges spaced from said annular flange, and staggered hinge arm loops; said annular flange and said side flanges having bolt holes for receiving bolts to connect to a pipe;

said plates being oppositely disposed relative to'one another with their flanges extending in opposite directions; and

each said plate having a plane side facing one another.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1,

a gasket lying between said plane sides of said plates outwardly of the aperture of said plates sealing against each said plates plane side.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 1,

5 a tongue on one said plate. and a notch in the other said plate at the end of saidplates opposite said hinge portion holding said plates in alignment.

4. In a device as set forth in claim 1,

said securing means comprising a frangible bolt for breaking in the event of a top pipe accidently hitting an obstruction to free said portions to pivotally swing relative to one another to automatically lower a top pipe connected to said device.

5. In a device as set forth in claim 1, resilient bushings in said hinge arm loops.

for lowerably erecting a top pipe above a bottom pipe so as to extend the stack above the truck body for road travel and to lower the stack for moving under low obstructions comprising,

a bottom portion connectable to a bottom pipe a top portion connectable to a top pipe,

a hinge portion between said top and bottom portions,

at the rear of said connector, and

frangible securing means at the front of said connector normally holding said top and bottom closed relative to one another;

said frangible securing means automaticallybreaking upon an extended top pipe mounted on said connector to permit said hinge to open to allow. a top pipe mounted thereon to swing rearwardly out of engagement with an obstruction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS CARL W. TOML-IN, Primary Examiner.

T. F. CALLAGHAN, Assistant Examiner.

6. A hinged connector for truck exhaust pipe stacks Bockerman 285283 

1. A HINGED CONNECTOR FOR TRUCK EXHAUST PIPE STACKS FOR LOWERABLE ERECTING A TOP PIPE ABOVE A BOTTOM PIPE SO AS TO EXTEND THE STACK ABOVE THE TRUCK BODY FOR ROAD TRAVEL AND TO LOWER THE STACK FOR MOVING UNDER LOW OBSTRUCTIONS COMPRISING, A BOTTOM PORTION CONNECTABLE TO A BOTTOM PIPE, A TOP PORTION CONNECTABLE TO A TOP PIPE, A HINGE PORTION BETWEEN SAID TOP AND BOTTOM PORTIONS, AND SECURING MEANS NORMALLY HOLDING SAID TOP AND BOTTOM PORTIONS CLOSED RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER, EACH SAID TOP AND BOTTOM PORTION INCLUDING A PLATE HAVING AN APERTURE, AN ANNULAR FLANGE SURROUNDING SAID APERTURE, PAIRED SIDE FLANGES SPACED FROM SAID ANNULAR FLANGE, AND STAGGERED HINGE ARM LOOPS; SAID ANNULAR FLANGE AND SAID SIDE FLANGES HAVING BOLT HOLES FOR RECEIVING BOLTS TO CONNCET TO A PIPE; SAID PLATES BEING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER WITH THEIR FLANGES EXTENDING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS; AND EACH SAID PLATE HAVING A PLANE SIDE FACING ONE ANOTHER. 